What changed from 2015 to 2017 with Yukon XL SLT suspension?

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ajs800

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While I'm still deciding to trade it or put some money into it but in the meantime I did some part searching and discovered an interesting tidbit. My 15 with 85k miles needs a handful of parts replaced...It needs all new ball joints/control arms and figured if I do this I might as well replace struts and shocks to complete the ride. When researching parts, I noticed the 17 SLT XL suspension parts do not cross ref to a 15. I even had my local shop do the same and they said their book shows the same. I can't imagine a drastic design change happened but is it possible? I have got to believe a strut and shock from the exact same 17 model will fit a 15, no? anyone have any thoughts?
 

swathdiver

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They may fit but not cross as they are likely calibrated differently.

The rear shocks for example have different part numbers but are physically the same. Control Arms with ball joints are the same. As for the front struts, GM tunes their suspensions and assigns the struts a number based on the weight/options and there are dozens of combinations. I wouldn't worry if those numbers don't cross.
 
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ajs800

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They may fit but not cross as they are likely calibrated differently.

The rear shocks for example have different part numbers but are physically the same. Control Arms with ball joints are the same. As for the front struts, GM tunes their suspensions and assigns the struts a number based on the weight/options and there are dozens of combinations. I wouldn't worry if those numbers don't cross.


Those were my exact thoughts. So I'd be better off going with a new year with same options rather than the orig 15 part #. I looked closely at a 17 XL SLT and it looked identical to my 15 in terms of suspension setup and fitment.
 

swathdiver

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Those were my exact thoughts. So I'd be better off going with a new year with same options rather than the orig 15 part #. I looked closely at a 17 XL SLT and it looked identical to my 15 in terms of suspension setup and fitment.

Well, you might want to rethink that AJ, plenty of posts on here of folks complaining that the 2017s and 2018s don't ride as nice as the '15s and '16s.
 

Tahoe14

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And vice versa with plenty of folks complaining the 15s not riding as nice as the 17s and 18s.
 
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ajs800

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And vice versa with plenty of folks complaining the 15s not riding as nice as the 17s and 18s.

Yes, and I would fall into this category. Our 15 has always felt like it's riding on bricks and it's only worse now sitting at 85k miles.
 

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